


A Game of Sentiments

by clockwork_spider



Series: Funeral Wreath Mukuro [1]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, Gaslighting, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, mentions of two teenagers having sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-23 08:56:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6111459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockwork_spider/pseuds/clockwork_spider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A puppy, a bet for attachment. His body, a bet for trust. Sex, a bet for intimacy. The Mare ring, a bet for loyalty. A scar, a bet for possession. Vulnerability, a bet for Mukuro's soul. </p><p>It’s a game of sentiments, and Byakuran plays to win.</p><p>11 years old Byakuran found Mukuro shortly after Mukuro killed the Estraneos, and offered him a place to stay. They grow up together.</p><p>A series of non-sequential drabbles, based off my RP with the lovely <a href="http://in-mendacio-veritas.tumblr.com/">@in-mendacio-veritas.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter mood theme: [U2 - Every Breaking Wave](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYVEik7Lvc4)

Byakuran met Mukuro at the age of 10, when he was playing scrabble. It was his first glimpse into the future. Mukuro met Byakuran at the age of 11, shortly after he murdered the Estraneos with Ken and Chikusa. They were the same age. 

That was the same year Byakuran got them a puppy. 

“You should name it,” he offered his companion, holding the small animal gently. 

She was a white puppy. Mukuro named it Kuro, black in Japanese. 

It was a test for attachment.

* * *

The first time they killed together, they were 12. 

“I should just possess your body,” Mukuro joked, “I could probably take better care of it than you do." 

"Mahhh… If you want to take care of me, then help me with the bandage,” Byakuran whined. 

When they were 13, Byakuran said “sure”. When prompted for a reason, he claimed he was securing his future interest.

“I don’t know how you’re still sane with your mind like this,” Mukuro commented. 

“My dearest Mukuro-kun, it’s all a matter of compartmentalization." 

And then he hugged him, suddenly and without explanation, and held onto Mukuro for longer than either of them were comfortable with. 

Because trust must sometimes be given to be earned. 

* * *

They started having sex at the age of 15. Nothing meaningful, nothing too special. 

"I wonder what you could do with illusions in the bedroom,” Byakuran asked, while sipping on a milkshake.

“Shouldn’t you start with something more traditional?" 

"I never knew you were the type to care for tradition, Mukuro-kun." 

And the rest was just harmless experimentation by two boys with too much curiosity and low regards for tradition. 

But there’s more to sex than just physical sensation, Byakuran realized. 

"Neh Mukuro, I read about something interesting the other day,” tracing his fingers along Mukuro’s spine, Byakuran whispered, “the human body releases this chemical called oxytocin when we cuddle with people we like. It helps us sleep better. That’s why infants crave the warmth of their mother. 

It’s funny, like our body can learn to recognize each other’s presence and mark it as a sign of safety. It’s like the other person can become our "home”.“

_Mukuro-kun, if we cuddle often enough, do you think we’d recognize each other’s presence as safety? Would we become each other’s "home”?_

Byakuran wondered what it would take to have Mukuro addicted to intimacy.

He begun seeking sex for the sake of cuddling afterwards.

* * *

When they were 17, they graduated from high school. 

When they were 17, Byakuran received the Mare Rings, and begun to form the Gesso Famiglia. 

When they were 17, Byakuran knelt down before Mukuro, and slipped the Mist Mare ring onto his finger. He kissed the ring on his companion’s hand and told him “The Mist Ring has always belonged to you”. 

When they were 17, Byakuran left for university, and Mukuro left to work undercover at Vongola. 

“I should mark you, so you have something to remember me by while we’re away from one another,” he teased, gently trailing his nails over Mukuro’s heart. It was the night before they parted. 

The suggestion was marked with reluctance. 

“Then perhaps you should mark me instead,” Byakuran compromised, and placed his companion’s hand over his own heart, “so I can tell others who I belong to.”

Possession is a river that runs both ways. 

* * *

When Byakuran was 10, he met Mukuro from a memory and thought, “wouldn’t it be nice to have that for myself?”

Attachment, trust, intimacy, loyalty, possession. 

When their bodies tangled, Byakuran whispers “Mukuro, Mukuro, Mukuro” and places feather kisses against his neck. 

Because this is a game of sentiments, with Mukuro as the end-goal and the opponent. Every act of affection is an attack, and Byakuran was never known to hold back. A tender kiss, a gentle touch, end turn. _Mukuro-kun, your move._

In the night before the finale, Byakuran said “choose me, and I’m yours.”

Because sentiment is a double edge sword, and you can’t gamble without placing bets. 

A puppy, a bet for attachment. His body, a bet for trust. Sex, a bet for intimacy. The Mare ring, a bet for loyalty. A scar, a bet for possession. Vulnerability, a bet for his soul. 

It’s a game of sentiments, and Byakuran plays to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was disgustingly saccharine. I'm disturbed.


	2. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mukuro is a fitful sleeper.

Mukuro is a fitful sleeper.

Byakuran first noticed the day the other boy moved in. When he went over to Mukuro’s room to wake the boy up for breakfast. Mukuro was twisting and turning on the bed, a tight little frown on his brows.

It was apparent that the boy was having a nightmare.

This, in itself, was not particularly worth noting. Nightmares were not unusual. Byakuran shook the boy awake after a few seconds of fascinated observation.

It didn’t take long for Byakuran to notice that Mukuro had nightmares frequently. This was also not surprising. For a boy his age, Mukuro had a lot to fear.

What to do with this new information, that was Byakuran’s dilemma.

On one hand, this little detail presented a good opportunity for Byakuran to strengthen Mukuro’s attachment to him.

On the other hand, Byakuran recognized that Mukuro’s trauma and hatred were his major driving forces. It was a strong part of what he had been up to this point, and the terrifying man he would become. It would be such a shame if the force of will was neutralized because he made Mukuro felt too safe, too comfortable.

And being juggled in between the two hands was a quiet little voice that said “you _could_ comfort him, because he’s _yours_ ”. A part of his heart felt giddy in this position of power.

In the end, he decided to settle with a strategic pace. Only wake Mukuro up and offer comfort once in awhile, enough to form attachment, but not often enough for Mukuro to forget the sense of fear.

So in their later years, when Mukuro held onto him tightly in bed, half drowsy, Byakuran was pleased. When Mukuro denied the entire event the next morning, Byakuran simply smiled, offered a cup of hot chocolate, and showered his Lotus with kisses.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah this is becoming a series of drabbles now.


	3. Significant Deviation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Byakuran awoke in the Millefiore base, the first thing he saw was Mukuro's corpse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Illusion violence, eye trauma. Gaslighting. Do not try this at home, kids.
> 
> Chapter theme: [Regina Spektor - One more time with Feeling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5H_5e81ft0&index=9&list=PLODjuzFFTzlXhQrVSi73SOcxlvJSeObkf)

Every parallel universe is unique. There is always some significant event, decisions which radically alter the trajectory of history. Byakuran likes to call the result of these differences Significant Deviations.

For Byakuran, this universe have two significant deviations. First, the atomic bomb did not drop on Nagasaki. Second, Byakuran’s multiverse consciousness awoke at the age of 10, and he had found Mukuro shortly after.

What this means is that if Byakuran ever feel lost, he can easily run a Google search for Nagasaki, or look through his calling list for Mukuro’s number.

 

* * *

 

Byakuran overshares.

This, Mukuro knows, is a fact.

Perhaps this Byakuran is too young. Or perhaps this Byakuran has never tasted defeat. Or perhaps Byakuran is just a bit detached. Whatever the reason, Byakuran has no inhibition when it comes to sharing his private thoughts.

Mukuro couldn’t decide whether it’s naivity or confidence. Or perhaps sharing itself is a form of defence.

He'd often ramble on about the other universes, about worlds where they were enemies. He told them in the same tone he'd use to share random facts, or summarize a movie, lukewarm and mildy excited.  
  
"You almost had me, then, it was quite a close call," he said, eyes a bit distant. It was the same story, most of the time, nothing particularly interesting aside from their subjects. Mukuro was normally dead in the end. But Byakuran seemed quite taken by them.  
  
"You possessed me, but you didn't expect the multiverse conscious. I don't blame you, you didn't know. Anyway... You were caught off guard, and you fled. I caught up to you later and that was that."  
  
Mukuro wondered how his other self died. Was it a knife to the heart? Suffocation? Or was it something slower? He didn't ask, though, it didn't really matter. With a deft move Mukuro placed his weight ontop of Byakuran, straddling him between his legs. His fingers curled around the pale neck.  
  
"Why don't we reverse the role for once," he whispered, and his fingers tightened. He could feel Byakuran's pulse increase beneath his fingers, but the smiling face showed no sign of fear. His companion closed his eyes in calm surrender.  
  
He could squeeze tighter. He could snap Byakuran's neck, like how other Byakurans must have done to his other selves so many times. It would be so easy. If only his other selves could see them now.  
  
"Maybe some other day," he smiled and loosened his grip. Byakuran hummed in absent half-agreement and wrapped his arm around Mukuro's back, gently pulling Mukuro down ontop of him.

 

* * *

  
Byakuran dreams of the other universes. Mukuro knows this, because Byakuran overshares.  
  
The few times when Mukuro woke Byakuran up, the boy would always have this blank look in his eyes. Byakuran would study him, assessing which universe they belonged to. And then, recognition.  
  
"Good morning, Mukuro-kun," Byakuran would greet him with a smile.  
  
"Good morning," Mukuro would answer. _Welcome back._  
  
Mukuro wondered what it would take to throw Byakuran off.

 

* * *

  
When Byakuran awoke in the Millefiore base, the first thing he saw was Mukuro's corpse. This was most bizarre, considering Byakuran had no idea how the corpse got there.  
  
His most vivid memories were memories of himself growing up with Mukuro. The last thing he remembered was Mukuro's soft hair slipping between his fingers before falling asleep.  
  
Late night games of Choice. Sex. Feeding Kuro. Putting the Mare Ring on Mukuro's finger.  
  
They grew up together.  
  
The ring on Mukuro's finger wasn't the Mare ring, it was Vongola's.  
  
A sick feeling spread from the pit of his stomach as he realized that, perhaps, his memories were never apart of his reality. Perhaps he simply remembered growing up with Mukuro from another universe.  
  
He couldn't breath.  
  
_Which one am I?_ he wondered, and ran through a check of his surrounding environment.  
  
It occurred to him that he'd never go to sleep with an untidied corpse lying on his floor.  
  
With a little laugh, he jammed his fingers into the eyes of the illusory corpse. The illusion broke. The corpse disappeared in a puff of mist. The base faded out and became his house. They were 17 again.  
  
"That was very mean spirited of you, Mukuro-kun." His smile was sharp. To Mukuro, there was an unmistakable tremor in his voice, "did you enjoy my reactions?"  
  
"I was just curious to see if I could get the better of you. Aren't you feeling excited?" Mukuro laughed. He never thought he could get under Byakuran's nerves, and was surprisingly pleased with the results. To think Byakuran would use him as an anchor.  
  
Byakuran grabbed him by the shoulder and pressed their lips together. It was perhaps a bit more forceful than what normally happens in the morning. Perhaps it's anger, perhaps it's desperation.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes," Mukuro grabbed Byakuran by the neck and wrangled himself free before he suffocated. In truth he got up earlier than usual to prepare this little prank of his, and did not feel up to... whatever this was leading up to.  
  
For once, Byakuran was silent. He didn't loosen his grip though. Mukuro could feel the nails digging into his skin. There would be bruises later, a cheap enough price to pay.  
  
For a long moment, Byakuran just stared, expression unreadable. All that was heard were the sounds of their ragged breathing and heartbeats. Mukuro remembered the all too alien expression on Byakuran's face a few moments ago. He could piece together what went on.

"Good morning, Byakuran," Mukuro said softly, running a hand through the messy white locks, "Welcome back."

 

* * *

 

 

**Addendum**

Somewhere in another universe, Byakuran awakens to the sight of Mukuro's corpse, perserved in a tank of formaldehyde. The impossibility of death to the minds of the living. He remembers another universe, where he and the illusionist grew up together. He remembers the feeling of Mukuro's mouth against his own, lips against lips, tongue against teeth. He remembers his fingernails against Mukuro's skin, and the soft mocking laughter.

_"Welcome back."_

He remembers where he is.

The corpse has begun to rot.

 


End file.
